From construction worker to PhD candidate

by Nazrana Parker

CAREER UPDATE (CU) hears how an unplanned interaction resulted in an unexpected opportunity for Angelo Johnson and now he is living his dream career. He describes his journey from construction worker to PhD Candidate as surreal. Angelo currently serves as a Hydrogeology Researcher at UWC and Junior Scientist at South African National Parks (SANParks).

Sometimes finding yourself in the right place at the right time can be life changing.

Many students often underestimate the power of engaging with academic staff . As you progress in your academic career, you should not hesitate to commence wearing a ‘professional’ hat. So, shake off the phrase ‘I am a student studying…’ and start talking the talk - marketing yourself as ‘a future graduate in…’, to engage in robust conversation about your area of study. Before you know it, possibilities may pop up in unexpected places.

Confused beginnings and how it all started

Angelo was born and raised in a small town of Darling, on the West Coast. In high school, he vice-captained the rugby 1st team, made the top 20 academic achievers of his matric class and played the lead role in the school play. During the school break you could fi nd him working on a construction site earning money, very hard-earned pocket money.

After matric, Angelo declined opportunities to join the University of Pretoria Rugby Academy and a full scholarship to study BSc Earth Science at University of Stellenbosch and rather opted to study Mechanical Engineering at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). After just 2 months at CPUT, he dropped out realising that it wasn’t for him. During a three year journey to figure out what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, whilst working in construction, bartending, carpentry and radiation protection at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, he saved up some money and finally enrolled at UWC to study BSc Environmental and Water Science. Proudly, he was able to pay his way through the first year and at the same time prove to his parents (his financial support structure) that he was serious this time around.

Insightful experiences

Angelo recalls, “I still remember during undergrad studies, the lecturer telling a class of 100+ students that only 25 of us will make it into the honours programme”. These words stuck with him and inspired him to work smarter, knowing that many of his peers were achieving academic success, unfortunately, there are not enough jobs for everyone straight after graduation. He soon realised that the key is to figure out what sets him apart from his peers and focus on that. It was his personality and attitude towards life that made him different at the time. Having made it into the Honours programme, he was scouted by Dr Jaco Nel (a hydrogeology consultant at the time and Angelo’s current mentor) halfway through his postgraduate year. So what resulted in him being selected for an internship at a major groundwater consultancy?

Dr Nel presented a short course on groundwater numerical modelling to the class and decided to braai for the class during one of the lunch breaks. Angelo ended up taking initiative and started the fi re and assisted with the braai, not knowing that he shared a passion for braai with Dr Nel. During the braai, Dr Nel unknowingly quizzed the students on a few groundwater related topics, not related to the short course, he presented at the time (topics entailed the Atlantis manage aquifer recharge and iron related problems, Groundwater protection zoning in Cape Town), which Angelo unknowingly passed. Two weeks later, Angelo and a fellow student received off ers of employment from GCS Water and Environment PTY Ltd. (then Dr. Nel’s company) and commenced with internships halfway through their honour’s year. So, while his fellow classmates were attending lectures, Angelo was traveling through

While his fellow classmates were attending lectures, Angelo was traveling through Mpumalanga from one coal mine to the other conducting fi eld work.

Mpumalanga from one coal mine to the other conducting field work. There he developed an interest in mine water hydrogeology and continued with an MSc degree where he researched the feasibility of using coal ash to backfill coal mines. Angelo successfully obtained his MSc degree and is currently pursuing a PhD degree with the aim of improving the prediction of potential mine water impacts. As his research has specific focus on a proposed mining activity bordering one the National Parks, SANParks employed him as they will find benefit in this research.

His responsibilities as scientist at SANParks, include:

1. Conducting hydrogeological and geochemical investigations to improve the prediction of potential mine water impacts,

2. Assisting SANParks to establish a groundwater monitoring programme within all the National Parks (there are currently 20 National Parks in SA), and

3. Responsible for hydrogeological investigations in the parks.

As a PhD Candidate and Hydrogeology Researcher at the Institute for Water Studies at UWC, Angelo has been involved in various projects, including: UWC campus - water supply boreholes, Saldanha Bay Local Municipality water supply wellfi elds, Eskom coal ash backfi ll feasibility, geochemical investigations on Phosphate mining and mentoring MSc students conducting groundwater related research.

Angelo has presented his research internationally at the International Environmental Modelling Software Society (Fort Collins, Colorado – USA 2018), World of Coal Ash (St. Louise, Missouri – USA 2019) and the International Mine Water Association (Perm – Russia 2019) and at various local conferences. Through his travels, he also meets up with groundwater professionals/ experts to exchange knowledge.

Overall, Angelo did not have the “perfect” journey, but he has no regrets because everything he encountered came alongside a valuable lesson. “One of the biggest lessons I learnt while at university, is that grades only get you so far. You need to fi gure out your strengths (in my case it is my positive attitude and knowing my personality traits) and use it to your advantage. Every conversation with a professional in your fi eld may be an interview.”

Angelo has recently been appointed on the newly elected Young Professionals Committee of the Groundwater Division of South Africa, with the aim of bridging the gap between groundwater graduates and industry professionals. By the time you read this magazine, Angelo would have started a new role as a Professional Hydrogeologist at GCS Water and Environmental Consultants based in Johannesburg.

Grades only get you so far. You need to figure out your strengths and use it to your advantage. Every conversation with a professional in your field may be an interview.

Connect with Angelo at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelojohnson-403ab010b/